Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Diary Of An Abortion Activist: Yakima To DC

Today is the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the case that legalized abortion in 1973.

We are mourning the loss of 55,000,000 babies who, since Roe v. Wade, have been discriminated against and not given a "choice" regarding their life.

Hundred's of thousands are marching for life today from small communities to Washington DC.

By all accounts, the practice of abortion is loosing favor with the American public. The realities of abortion---the ultra sound pictures of the child in the womb---factual medical information---a spiritual awareness regarding the sanctity of human life---all are causing America, particularly this generation, to push back on abortion.

Planned Parenthood has closed a number of abortion clinics this past year. Many elected officials have and are standing strong against public funding for abortion.

"Mourning" is turning to "Morning," but not without significant resistance on the part of those who work to advance and expand the practice of abortion.

Tori Westman works for NARAL Pro-Choice Washington. She refers to herself as "a community organizer."

Her latest email fundraising message is a diary of her recent efforts. It chronicles her work in Yakima and elsewhere around the state.

While "mourning" is turning to "morning," make no mistake, it is merely dawn---it is not mid-day. The abortion activists are not taking the public change of heart casually.

Nor have they given up on the idea of shutting down every Crises Pregnancy Center in Washington State.

There are community organizers working in every community across this country. Their mission is the same.

And their diary would likely read the same.

The following gives reason why all people must be informed on the sanctity of life. And the following is the diary of one community organizer who has not yet seen the light on life.

This is the text of Tori's message (emphasis, hers):

D. Laurence,

Parked in front of a house was a car with a bumper sticker that read, ”As a former fetus, I oppose abortion.”

I decided to skip that house.

Earlier that night someone had told me that ‘I’m pro-choice, I think that a woman makes the choice when she spreads her legs.”

I could have gone into how consenting to sex doesn’t mean you are consenting to pregnancy but instead I decided to disengage.

I had doors to knock on, people to talk to. I’m a community organizer, this is what I do.

And even though I was canvassing in Yakima, where the constituents voted for anti-choice politicians, I was finding some very excited pro-choice folks.

At one house a woman in her thirties answered the door. I told her I was with NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, working for reproductive rights. She looked shocked. I handed her my clipboard that had the signatures of NARAL members I had just signed up. She listened to what I had to say.

We were working on the issue of the fake, anti-choice pregnancy centers in Washington. There was one located in Yakima.

She saw the names on my clipboard and asked, “Wait, all these people are pro-choice?”

“Yes,” I said.

“But these are my neighbors! I thought I was the only one here who was pro-choice!”

In Seattle, no one is surprised that they have pro-choice neighbors. In Yakima, and other conservative areas of the state, many people are convinced they are the lone pro-choicer in the neighborhood.

I love letting them know that they have fabulous neighbors who share their support for reproductive rights. That is where the community building aspect of a community organizers job really comes in. Letting people know that they are not alone and that if we join forces we can protect our rights and the rights of others.